Marines deployed to Los Angeles as anti-ICE protests intensify

LOS ANGELES - The Pentagon plans to deploy hundreds of Marines to Los Angeles to help National Guard members respond to mass immigration protests. In addition to the Marines being deployed, Trump has also authorized the deployment of an additional 2,000 National Guard troops. 

What we know:

U.S. Northern Command confirmed Monday that about 700 Marines from the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division in Twentynine Palms "will seamlessly integrate" with federalized National Guard troops that arrived Sunday to help protect federal facilities and personnel.

The Marine deployment will ensure there are "adequate numbers of forces to provide continuous coverage of the area in support of the lead federal agency," according to U.S. Northern Command.

The troops have been trained in de-escalation, crowd control and standing rules for the use of force, and they will be armed with the weapons they normally carry.

Northern Command said the forces will be under Task Force 51, commanded by Maj. Gen. Scott Sherman, deputy commander of U.S. Army North.

The move comes after President Donald Trump over the weekend sent the federal National Guard to LA to deter anti-ICE protests in Southern California.

It's unclear when the Marines will officially arrive in the area. 

Local and state leaders respond 

What they're saying:

Gov. Gavin Newsom said deploying the Marines to LA is "un-American." He wrote on X saying, "U.S. Marines have served honorably across multiple wars in defense of democracy. They are heroes. They shouldn't be deployed on American soil facing their own countrymen to fulfill the deranged fantasy of a dictatorial President.

LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell issued a statement in response saying, "The arrival of federal military forces in Los Angeles—absent clear coordination—presents a significant logistical and operational challenge for those of us charged with safeguarding this city. The Los Angeles Police Department, alongside our mutual aid partners, has decades of experience managing large-scale public demonstrations, and we remain confident in our ability to do so professionally and effectively. That said, our top priority is the safety of both the public and the officers on the ground. We are urging open and continuous lines of communication between all agencies to prevent confusion, avoid escalation, and ensure a coordinated, lawful, and orderly response during this critical time."

Rep. Mike Levin, D-Los Angeles, called the Marine deployment "an astounding overreach of authoritarian power." 

"Our Marines are trained for deadly combat, not law enforcement. This politicizes our Armed Forces and it clearly will not end well," a part of his statement read. 

National Guard in LA 

On Sunday, Newsom formally asked Trump to remove the National Guard from LA, calling the deployment "unlawful."

RELATED: Newsom fires back at Trump over deployment of National Guard in LA

On Monday, Trump authorized the deployment of an additional 2,000 National Guard members to Los Angeles, US officials confirmed. The order would put the National Guard members on active duty. One official said it could take a day or two to get troops moving.

"The first 2,000? Given no food or water. Only approx. 300 are deployed — the rest are sitting, unused, in federal buildings without orders. This isn’t about public safety. It’s about stroking a dangerous President’s ego. This is Reckless. Pointless. And Disrespectful to our troops," Newsom posted on X. 

In a letter to Defense Sec. Pete Hegseth, the governor said California did not have a problem "until Trump got involved."

Mayor Karen Bass also repeated her opposition to the deployment of National Guard troops in the city. During a press conference Monday evening, she said the guards were being used only to "guard two buildings" -- the federal building downtown and another in Westwood. The guard's mission was solely to protect federal assets in the area, and the troops have not been involved in any of the actual operations to quell violent protests. Given that limited mission, she said there was no logical reason for the government's decision Monday to send 700 U.S. Marines into the city to support the National Guard.

Lawsuits against Trump administration

What we know:

California Attorney General Rob Bonta on Monday announced two new lawsuits against the Trump administration over federal officials impeding the state's sovereignty with the deployment of the National Guard.

Bonta said the lawsuit, which names Trump, Defense Secretary Hegseth, and the Department of Defense, outlines why the takeover violates the U.S. Constitution and exceeds the president’s Title 10 authority, not only because the takeover occurred without the consent or input of the governor, as federal law requires, but also because it was unwarranted.

"Let me be clear: There is no invasion. There is no rebellion," Bonta said. "The president is trying to manufacture chaos and crisis on the ground for his own political ends. Federalizing the California National Guard is an abuse of the President’s authority under the law– and not one we take lightly. We’re asking a court to put a stop to the unlawful, unprecedented order."

Under the California Constitution, Bonta said that Gov. Newsom is the commander-in-chief of the California National Guard.

Bonta also filed a second lawsuit against the Trump administration, where he was joined by attorneys general in Illinois, New Jersey and Rhode Island, and in spirit with 20 attorneys general across the United States.

This suit involves what Bonta calls Trump "unlawfully imposing immigration enforcement requirements" on billions of dollars in annual U.S. Department of Transportation and U.S. Department of Homeland Security grants.

"The president doesn't have the authority to coerce state and local governments into using their resources for immigration enforcement," Bonta said. "This is a blatantly illegal attempt to bully states into enacting Trump's inhumane and illogical immigration agenda. Once again, Trump's actions go beyond the scope of his presidential power."

The Associated Press reported that immigration agents were seen Monday morning at a Home Depot store in Huntington Park, along with a library parking lot and City Hall in nearby Whittier.

Trump addresses LA protests

During an unrelated event on Monday, Trump addressed the protests in Southern California.

"Thank goodness we sent out some wonderful National Guard," he said.

Trump criticized California leaders by saying "they were afraid of doing anything."

"We sent out the troops, and they’ve done a fantastic job."

An estimated 1,000 National Guard troops were on the ground in LA by Monday morning, with that number expected to double by the end of the day.

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